Avatar the Last Airbender Book 4 Shadows
by snakeboy33
Summary: It is basically my own season where a fifth bending ability is introduced, by the way, PLEASE READ I NEED REVIEWS. Note, I probably won't do these in order.
1. Chapter 1

**Avatar the Last Airbender **

**Book 4**

**Shadows**

**Preview**

**(Disclaimer: these will not have as many episodes as a normal season and I do not own Avatar)**

**Ch 1- The Unleashing: It had been a few months after the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai, and Aang and Toph have decided to go on an archeological dig for kicks. All goes well, until the digging team finds the ancient tomb of Shadow Emperor Othar, who awakens from 10,000 year sleep, and is eager to bring his empire back to life, and will start with the restored Air Nomads.**

**Ch 2- The Proposal: Suki has just gotten married and Sokka is bummed to a point of going insane. Katara is worried about him, and with Sokka beginning to become secretive, she is getting even more worried. But when Katara finds he has proposed and engaged to Ty Lee, the entire group freaks out.**

**Ch 3- The Ambush: The Shadow Empire has become impatient, and is eager to invade the weakened Earth Kingdom, and in order to do that, they have set a trap for Aang his friends. **

**Ch 4- The Avatar Star: Shadow Emperor Othar is intending to finish off the Fire Nation, through means of manipulating Fire Lord Ozai. To prevent the Fire Nation from being crushed Aang is going to begin a quest, for the Avatar Star; the only force that can defeat Shadow Emperor Othar permanently.**

**Ch 5- The Wedding: Sokka and Ty Lee are expecting their wedding to be on the day of Eternal Sun in the North Pole in three months, but Azula and Katara have moved the wedding to a completely unexpected day the next one. Freaking out because Sokka has no idea what to do and Ty Lee has nothing to wear they run around the whole Northern Water Tribe city trying to get ready. Just when peace was thought to be restored everyone finds out the Shadow Empire is plotting a massive invasion.**

**Ch 6- The Temple of Intertwining Elements: Failing to find the Avatar Star, all hope seems lost, until the team learns of a sacred temple which the first Avatar built, which four sacred jewel spheres which hold the power to give an individual bender unimaginable power, everyone is overjoyed, until they learn of the great Elemental Serpent protecting the temple.**

**Ch 7- Avatar Saror: With hopes of ending the war using the four Element Spheres to end the war Aang and company head to the Shadow Empire capital with interests of completely wiping out the empire, but before the invasion begins the first Avatar appears in front of the group to warn them of the consequences that might come out of doing it, the same thing that happened to him when he tried to use the spheres to end the war.**

**Ch 8- The Light Fellowship: Desperate to end the war Aang travels to the Fire Nation to seek spiritual help from Iroh, only to find Iroh has entered a coma fighting. With no one else to turn to Aang visits Zuko, who might be able to show him some info on the only benders who can end the war, the mighty Lightbenders of the Light Fellowship.**

**Ch 9- The End: It is Aang's birthday and everyone want's to celebrate, ironically except Aang who knows a terrible secret about his 13****th**** birthday, nobody understands, until Aang angrily warns them that when the Avatar becomes thirteen an energy gather in his body begins to take shape and he must spend a grand total of 13 hours inside the Spirit World to let the energy dissipate, if he is disturb in any way, the energy will be unleashed and the entire world will be destroyed. A find time to, as General Mar of the Shadow Empire is beginning to plot an invasion**

**Ch 10- Births: Ty Lee is pregnant and Sokka is preparing to become a father, with Katara helping, Meanwhile Zuko is being taught by his father on how to be the Fire Lord.**

**Ch 11- Truth: Avatar Saror appears again to support again on his progress, deciding to let him know the Avatar's darkest and most shocking secret, a secret that will shock everyone in the entire world.**

**Ch 12- Learning the Darkness: Iroh has woken from his coma and decides to tell the group that Aang must learn Lightbending and Shadowbending to restore peace, a process that involves possibly given up all that Aang has worked for to gain, including mastery over the elements.**

**Ch 13- The Strategy: Deciding to end the war using extreme measurements, using the Elemental Spheres, to end the war, Aang resolves to bringing all the nations together in one place.**

**Ch 14- (The Completion Part 1) The Attack: Finally snapping Shadow Emperor Othar finally decides to finish the war at last, by using an item of pure destruction, the Shadow Diamond, a gemstone that can take away a bending ability completely.**

**Ch 15- (The Completion Part 2) The Ending: Learning the Shadow Benders only weakness Aang, Katara, Toph, Zuko, and the rest of the group decide to attack Shadow Emperor Othar, suddenly learning a horrendous fact of this emperor.**

**Facts **_**Warning Contains Spoilers**_

**The Shadow Empire: An ancient nation that once ruled over the entire world, it was ruled by the Shadow Emperor, the supreme figure in the world at that time. The traditional way to where ones hair is to have it mostly shaved, except for the area along the top, where a small Mohawk like hairstyle was. The military, unlike most of the nations is composed of only benders, foot soldiers and cavalry units alike.**

**Shadow Bending: The Shadow Empire's most powerful weapon, its main power is a user can take control of a victim's shadow and thus completely control him or her. Another key ability is to walk through walls and any other solid objects. Probably it's most powerful ability is the power to create monsters, weapons, and other things of shadows, an ability commonly used, sometimes as a last resort.**

**Avatar Saror: He was the first Avatar and the son of Shadow Emperor Othar. His was a fun, happy, and kind young man. He pitied the residents of the opposing bending arts and decided to do something about it. He began to travel the world to master all of the bending arts. He however knew that his father would try to stop him so he decided to build a hiding place for his allies, which later was changed into a sacred temple in which four sacred spheres which he created were hidden. His spirit animal was a mighty serpent which he blessed with the power over all four elements. He had a wife and one son. Losing the battle with his father he decided to end the battle once and for all, by using the four sacred spheres. He later died at the age of 30 because of reasons soon to be explained. He sacrificed his Shadowbending abilities and merged them with the other elements to create the Avatar State.**

**The Elemental Serpent: The first Avatar's spirit animal, he is an aggressive, yet gentle creature who will not hesitate to protect anyone, except people from the Shadow Empire. He was blessed by Avatar Saror with the power over all four elements; he can swap elemental forms at will, depending on which terrain he is in, for example, if he is flying he will take air form, if his swimming he will take water form, when he is a certain form his eyes will glow the element symbol and he will take the form. He protects the Temple of Intertwining Elements constantly swapping forms too navigate through the temple. When in neutral form he is basically a giant cobra. He individual forms will be described in the stories. Too protect the temple he will go to a point to actually never trust someone if they say they are the Avatar.**

**The Temple of Intertwining Elements: A sacred temple which was created to be a safe house for Avatar Saror allies. However, after Saror created the Elemental Spheres the temple was changed to be a spiritual temple to protect the spheres. The main way Saror built it to make sure that know one found it, not even the greatest archeologist, as it was underneath a thick layer of diamond and ice. The basic design was there was a tower in which you entered, and then a thick layer of traps only the Avatar could stop down an extremely long staircase. Once you reached the heart of the temple and the bottom of stairs a chamber 15 times the size of the Earth Kings throne room would appear. The ceiling would be made of fire, water, earth, and air, and at each corner there would be a massive wall of a certain element, in between each wall is a wide marble path, and in the very middle of the chamber are the four Elemental Spheres. The Elemental Serpent can pass through these walls freely. **

**Elemental Spheres: As an act of pure desperation Avatar Saror created four extremely powerful orbs that had the power to give the user, depending on which orb the user held, incredible bending abilities. The four spheres were: the Orb of Fire, the Orb of Air, the Orb of Water, and the Orb of Earth. Avatar Saror created these to use against his father, and it was these four orbs that allowed him to win. Only then did Saror learn of the side effects, using the orbs gives a 90 chance of the user shortening their lifespan, which was what happened to Avatar Saror and this is what caused him to die at the age of thirty.**

**Shadow Emperor Othar: The ruler of the Shadow Empire, unlike his son, he is a sinister, evil, and deceiving Shadowbender who believes the point of life is to end it. He will not hesitate to kill anyone he gets in his way, including his own citizens. Deciding to put the end to his tyranny his son and the prince of the Shadow Empire Saror left the capital and began to travel the world trying to learn the four bending abilities. Caring absolutely zero, Othar continued to rule with an iron fist for the next few years, until his son appeared again and challenged his father. Othar was winning the battle, until Saror used the Elemental Spheres to defeat him. Not having the heart to kill his own father, Saror buried him and all of the Shadow Empire deep beneath the Earth. Othar slept peacefully, until Aang released him.**

**The Light Fellowship and the Lightbenders will be introduced in the stories.**


	2. The Wedding

**(Sorry I took so long, I got different stories I'm working on)**

**Avatar the Last Air bender**

**Book 4 Shadows**

**Ch 5**

**The Wedding**

Sokka lay in bed snoring his voice out and drooling, the tent flap opens and two dark shapes enter. The shapes loomed over Sokka; hand slithered out and reached over.

"Wake up Sokka!" cried Katara suddenly. Sokka jolted out of bed, sword drawn.

"Katara, what are you doing in my tent?" he screamed.

"We are here too wake you up," Katara said, nodding her head to Aang standing next too her.

"To day is your special day," Aang said with a smile.

"What?" Sokka asked, then his eyes widened," No, you don't mean..."

"Yes, today is your wedding!" his sister and friend said together.

Sokka then passed out at that moment.

"YOU MOVED OUR WEDDING," cried Ty lee at her friend Azula. "We agreed that it would be on the Day of Eternal Sun in three months."

"Yes, but with the Shadow Empire on the run we all decided to move it," Azula said calmly.

"But today, I don't have a single thing to wear," Ty lee said tears beginning to weal in her eyes.

"Don't worry, the wedding will be tonight on the full moon, plenty of time to get set up," Azula said putting her hand on Ty lee's shoulder.

For the entire afternoon Ty lee and Sokka spent getting ready for their wedding. Sokka got a male kimono on and a sword strapped to his belt. His hair has coiled up in his traditional style, but with a symbol amulet on the top which depicted fire and water uniting. Ty lee got a massive dress on with fire and water patterns on it, massive makeup was applied, turning her lips bright red, her eye lining was dark blue. The girls and boys worked and worked until both of Ty lee and Sokka looked completely perfect and ready for the wedding.

Meanwhile, without anyone noticing a coal black ship, with two blades on the bow floated on the water not so far off shore. It was a Shadow Empire ship. The ship sailed away to the west heading to what looked like a second one. A ramp extended from the first ship on to the second one, a slender soldier with a three pronged crown like helmet on his head and pure black armor. Only his face was revealed

"All is ready for the invasion general," a soldier said bowing to a taller Shadow bender in full armor.

"Good, this time the Avatar will not escape my clutches," the Shadowbender hissed, removing his face plate, revealing it to be General Mar.

**These big things are like commercials to divide it up.**

"I still can't believe our wedding is tonight." Sokka grumbled as he fiddled with is hair trying to straightening the Fire/Water amulet.

"Come on son, look at the bright side," Hakoda said cheerfully," the ceremony will be perfect."

"Yeah, but, it has only been a few weeks after I proposed to Ty lee, I don't think I can take this," Sokka said.

The time came where the ceremony started, and the priest stood by Sokka. Sokka fingered with his kimono, the guests were arriving quickly, to quick for his liking, he noticed that the Water Tribe and the Fire Nation were divided, the Water Tribe on one side, and the Fire Nation on the other. The Tiger peacocks stood by the entrance, Aang suddenly jumped to Sokka's side as his best man. He gave Sokka the thumbs up. Katara and Hakoda smiled at him from the audience. Zuko, Azula, Mai, and Fire Lord Ozai did not smile, but looked at him positively. There were also several people from the Earth Kingdom; Sokka recognized Teo, Haru, and Pipsqueak and the Duke, to name but a few.

The Tiger peacocks than moved out of the way, and retracted their tail feathers. Ty lee stood their, her makeup almost making her face glow, the bouquet in her arms and her dress trailing behind her. She walked down the isle. Sokka hoped he wasn't sweating.

The ceremony went on to the point where it was about to end.

"Now, by the power of the great sun, ocean, and moon spirit, I know pronounce you…" the priest never got to finish as a massive wave of shadows plowed out of the blue and struck down a tall tower, when the smoke cleared, General Mar stood their.

"Today is the day the Water Tribe will fall," he sneered.

**Commercial Break**

Shadow energy blasts flew the skies as the Shadowbenders launched their attacks through the air. Water Tribe warriors fired their own strikes of icicle spears through the air. Aang rode on his air scooter bringing down opponents with his combined bending abilities. Katara used her waterbending to take down a couple of benders. The three royal Fire Nation members brought down plenty of warriors using their firebending. The battles speed through, unfortunately, more and more Shadowbenders were swarming through the walls and soon the city was almost completely swarmed. General Mar stood in the middle of the battle, fighting off warrior after warrior, until he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around, Ty Lee and Sokka were standing there, Ty Lee was cracking her knuckles, and Sokka was beaten his club into his palm, both had savage and enraged looks on their faces.

"You ruined our wedding," Ty Lee hissed.

"Your going to pay," added Sokka.

"Well, bring it," challenged Mar, and he took his Shadowbending stance. Ty Lee and Sokka smiled at each other and lunged forward, when the dust cleared, Mar was laying on the ground unconscious, the couple standing over him. The soldiers immediately back down, and hoisted their leader, into the stretcher and began to head back to the ships.

After the invasion cleared up, and it was set up a second time, the wedding ceremony continued.

"SO, by the power of the sun, ocean, and moon spirit, I now pronounce you husband and wife," said the priest before Sokka and Ty Lee kissed.

"Some insane things are about to happen," stated Ty Lee.

"Eh, what could happen that's worse then what we encountered?" asked Sokka with a grin.


	3. The Temple of Intertwining Elements

**The Temple of Intertwining Elements**

Aang woke up to the shining sun in his face. He smiled and sat up. He was in Katara and Sokka's North Pole home. Aang looked to his right Katara and Toph were sleeping several feet away. He looked to his left, and his smile got larger. There lay Ty Lee and Sokka, the newly wedded couple sleeping peaceful together.

Aang walked outside. He looked into the distance; he then remembered that chaos that fell upon the Water Tribe just yesterday. After the attack done by the Shadow Empire, Aang was becoming more and more worried. The Avatar Star had disappeared before the team could find it. The Avatar sighed; he would have to find another source of power to use. He probed his mind for historical power sources of the Avatar.

"Okay lets see," Aang said out loud," there was the alignment of the planets, but that won't be for another 7,000 years. There's the Shrine of Lightning, but it was destroyed 200 years ago. I could use the Black Ring, but it was tossed into a large trench in the sea by Avatar Yazar. There is the time when the moon and the sun are even in the sky, but there is no chance I can get into the right place at the right time. I could go to the Elemental Mountain, but it disappeared."

"Why are you up so early?" asked Katara as she exited the building stretching.

"Oh, morning Katara, I trying to think of a method of a time or object that could give me enough power to defeat Othar," answered Aang," but every power source I think of have some kind of limitation.

Toph then poked her head out.

"Would you two keep it down, lover boy and girl are trying to sleep," she said gesturing to Sokka and Ty Lee.

"Its okay Toph, we're already up," said Sokka as he walked out stretching.

"Hey do either of you know of any power source I can use?" Aang asked.

"No," Ty Lee and Sokka answered together.

"Come on, you are the spiritual genius here, I bet you can think of something, but in the mean time, me and Ty Lee are going to plan our honey moon," Sokka said pulling his wife closer to him.

"You guys are planning a honey moon?" Toph asked in disbelief.

"Of course," Ty Lee said," we're going to Ember Island." The couple then left together, hands interlocked.

"Ah, that's sweet," Katara said emotionally.

"If you like the stuff," Toph said.

"You're saying you don't," Katara said turning towards her friend.

"All I'm saying is I'm not a big fan of all this lovey dovey stuff," Toph said putting her hands up defensively.

"But it is so beautiful," said Katara. The two then went towards the Water Tribe square still bickering, leaving Aang alone. Aang then left towards the Spirit Oasis, pondering.

When he got to the pool, he entered his meditative state.

"Roku, please I need your help," he murmured. The shining image of Avatar Roku then broke away from Aang.

"Hello Aang," he said.

"Roku, a civilization known as the Shadow Empire has emerged, they are trying to consume the known world," Aang said.

Roku sighed. "I have heard many tales and legends of the mighty Shadow Benders, but I never believed them, but now," he sighed again and then looked back at Aang.

"I need some kind of power source to defeat the Shadow Emperor," Aang said," I tried the Avatar Star, but I missed it."

"There are many other power sources available for the Avatar," Roku said," but the only one probably available at the moment are the Elemental Spheres."

"What are they?" asked Aang, rather surprised.

"They are mighty spiritual objects created by the first Avatar," Roku explained," they give any bender who holds them unimaginable bending power, it was by this power that the first Avatar defeated the Shadow Empire."

"That's great," Aang said excitedly," where are they?"

"The spheres were kept locked away in a hidden fortress known as the Temple of Intertwining Elements," Roku said. "The temple was where the first Avatar hid during the time when he was learning the four bending arts."

"All right," Aang said punching the air," I'll go tell everyone." He got up to run, but then turned to Roku. "By the way, where is the temple," he asked.

Roku smiled in response. "You will know when you are there, you were the one you built the temple," he answered," the most I can tell you is they are hidden somewhere in the Tiger mountains in the most northern part of the Earth Kingdom, not to far from here."

"Great," Aang said with a smile and began to leave.

"Aang," Roku suddenly said, and Aang turned to him," one last thing, do not assume that the spheres are not being guarded." The vision the previous Avatar faded.

**(Break)**

Aang found all his friends are called them together. When he got the meeting room he looked around, and saw Zuko, Mai, Sokka, Ty Lee (wherever Sokka and Zuko went, their loves were never far behind), Katara, Toph, Iroh, and Suki, who seemed to be avoiding Sokka, who seemed to be avoiding her. Aang took a deep breath and told his story. Zuko was the first one to talk.

"This is perfect, we just need to divide the spheres to the individual benders, and invade the Shadow Empire," he said.

"Careful Fire Lord Zuko," Iroh said," it is unwise to make a large decision early."

"I agree, we're not even sure where this temple is," Sokka said," and for all we know the power could only be controlled by the Aang, and he might not even be able to."

"The first Avatar did it," said Aang.

"Well maybe the he was linked to the spheres somehow, I mean he made them," Sokka responded.

"But we need a plan, and one fast," said Toph.

"If you ask me," Mai said bored, obviously trying to end the meeting," Aang should make the final decision." Everyone turned towards Aang who looked around nervously.

He then took a deep breath and said," Let's go."

**(Break)**

As people (Zuko, Katara, Toph, Sokka, and of course Aang) were being loaded onto Appa, Sokka approached Ty Lee.

"Well, I guess our honeymoon will have to be postponed," he said. Ty lee laid her hand on her husband's face.

"That doesn't mean we won't have one," she said, she then looked at Appa," let me come with you."

"I won't risk losing you," Sokka said and before Ty Lee could protest Sokka put his finger to her lips and shook his head. The couple then tightly hugged.

"Promise you will be back," Ty Lee said.

"I promise," Sokka said. The two the broke away, and Sokka boarded Appa, and Appa took flight. Sokka looked back and saw his wife looking back at him; they continued to watch each other until Appa disappeared into the clouds.

After flying for a few hours, and about four Sokka Complaints vs. Zuko Complaints later the Tiger Mountains came into view.

"Do you have any hints at all, to where the temple might be?" asked Toph.

"Roku said that I would know when I was there, and we are getting close, I can feel it," Aang answered.

"Well maybe he meant it more spiritually then physically," Sokka said before remembering that with Aang they were the same thing. After flying for about fifteen more minutes Aang stood up; he looked down over the barren mountains.

"We're here," he announced. The team (minus Toph) looked down over the completely bare rock.

"I don't see anything," said Katara.

"We are here," Aang," just trust me." He then had Appa land, and laid his feet on the ground. Aang took a deep breath, and with one sleek and powerful Earth bending move, scattered the ground. And still there was nothing there.

"I don't feel anything," said Toph," so that has to mean, we aren't there."

"No," Aang repeated," we have arrived, I sense it." He bent down, and laid his hand on the ground, he felt something hard under it. Aang took a deep breath, and then blew the dirt off the ground, revealing a wall of solid ice. For a brief five seconds, no one spoke; they just stared (except for Toph of course). Aang took another deep breath, and with some concentration, bended the ice out of the way, revealing a very small shack without any windows, and only one door in the ditch.

"This is it," Aang said," This is the entrance to the Temple of Intertwining Elements."

**(Break)**

"How can this be the temple, it's so small," Sokka denied.

"This isn't the whole temple, probably just an entrance," Toph said," and I can feel something under the ground, a whole building."

"The temple," Katara said slowly. Aang was the first to move towards the door, he slowly opened it, revealing a very long staircase leading into the shadows.

"Let's go," he said, and began to lead the way into darkness. For what seemed like hours the walked down the stairs.

"This is to easy," Zuko said," we should have ran into something by now." After finishing, Sokka took one step down, activating some kind of trap, suddenly two dragon faces, shot out of the wall, and fire left the mouths, Toph barely was able to pull Sokka out of the way. Aang (thinking quickly) used his bending abilities, and quickly redirected the fire back into the mouths, and then earth bended them back into the walls.

"Wait to jinx it Zuko," Sokka said.

"Hey, you were the one to activate the trap!" Zuko protested.

"Look arguing won't make things go any faster, we need to keep moving," Aang broke in, and then he gestured to continue moving forward. After going through various other traps (a pit leading to a pool filled with hungry piranha eels, a closing wall with spikes, and many more) the team was about to give up, but Aang convinced them to press on. After a while of walking through a deep dark tunnel, their work was finally about to pay off. They approached a large door.

"I hope this gets us somewhere," said Katara.

"It will," Aang reassured," I can smell it." He then took a deep breath and pushed open the door. After the door was fully open, the only thing that could be said was "Whoa".

The door opened to a huge hall filled with all kinds of decorative aspects, there were waterfalls cascading down the walls into a very large pool filled with koi salamanders, trees ringing around smaller pools filled with rainbow fish, and many other decorations to amazing to describe.

"The Temple of Intertwining Elements," Aang murmured.

"This isn't the main chamber," Sokka said," I don't see any spheres anywhere; we have to keep on going." Everyone was too amazed to disagree, so they followed him. Katara reached out to lay her hand on a statue of a Monitor Shark, but Zuko grabbed her hand.

"Don't touch anything," he warned," all of these could be booby trapped."

"Zuko's right," Aang said," don't touch anything; there's a door over there, that could be the entrance to the main chamber." They walked over to that door and with help from Sokka, Aang opened the door.

The main chamber was a site to behold; it was a square room that had four large walls that formed what looked like square walls except each of the walls was made up of a certain element, like one wall was made of fire, another was like earth, another was made of water, and the final one, had nothing in it, just air. The walls met in the center and in the room's center, on stands that were arranged in a square were the Elemental Spheres.

"There they are," Katara said with a smile. Aang led the way to the room's center; they then stood over the orbs, Aang to the Orb of Air, Katara and Sokka to the Orb of Water, Toph to the Orb of Earth, and Zuko to the Orb of Fire.

"Their so beautiful," Zuko murmured, and he was right, in each orb was some kind of individual elemental energy source, like the Orb of Fire had a tiny flame in.

"So what are we waiting for?" asked Toph, but Aang looked around nervously.

"Roku said that there was a guardian, but I don't see one anywhere," he said sounding uncomfortable. The moment he finished talking a dark serpentine shape appeared on the wall made of water.

"What's that?" asked Sokka.

"I don't know," answered Aang. Suddenly a huge serpent erupted out of the water, it was ocean blue, it had a large barbed fin on its back, and had small fins on its side, it was covered in glossy scales, and in its eyes, was the glowing symbol of the Water Tribe. It opened its mouth revealing rows of sharp teeth, and let a terrifying roar/hiss, as it roared water shot out of the wall and zoomed towards the heroes, Katara and Aang managed to redirect it back into the water wall.

Obvioiusly the serpent was not deterred so it reared back and with a jerk of its head water flew into our heroes, and unfortunately, Aang and Katara were unable to block or redirect it.

"It can water bend?" cried Sokka, standing up soaked.

"Apparently," said Zuko.

"I'm getting a feeling that this is the guardian," Toph stated.

"No duh Toph," Katara said bluntly.

"How can we beat it?" asked Zuko.

"Let me handle that," Aang said. He then dashed towards the serpent, dodged all of its water bending, and hit it with an air blast so hard that it knocked the first quarter of the serpent's body out of the water and into the air section, falling. Aang landed and looked over the brim of cliff along with his friends.

"Well that wasn't to hard," said Toph. But then the snake seemed to glow, its scales turned pure white, its fins retracted into its body, a plume of feathers erupted on the top of its head, it gained two feathered wings, and the symbol in its eyes turned to the Air Nomad symbol. It then spread its wings and flew up to towards the heroes.

**(Break)**

The giant snake flew up towards the heroes, so fast that it seemed to be a blur.

"What is everyone looking at?" asked Toph.

"The sea serpent just became some kind of flying serpent," Katara answered, awestruck. The snake reached the ledge and with a burst of wings released a huge burst of wind, forming a tornado.

"Great, no it can air bend," Sokka groaned almost having to shout over the roar of the wind," seriously that's just plain cheap." The giant guardian soared towards the heroes, but Zuko shot a blast of fire into the snake's face, the serpent screamed, and dove into the fire wall, suddenly there was a strange red glow beneath the inferno.

The serpent reemerged, this time with bright crimson scales, two large feelers protruding out of the sides of its face, three sharp hors, and the Fire Nation symbol burning in its eyes.

"Why do I get the feeling it can fire bend," Aang said nervously, as if on cue, the snake screeched, and fire stormed out of the wall in six large tendrils. The heroes barely were able to dodge the fire before it turned them to a pile of ash.

"I think I understand it now, the guardian can become one of its forms on will while in its individual wall," Sokka stated.

"So if it is in the Wall of Earth it will take on an earth form," Aang guessed.

"I guess so," Sokka said with a shrug. The serpent opened its gaping mouth and as if someone had placed fireworks in its mouth, multiple sparking fireballs flew out.

"Toph, look out," cried Katara, Toph barely managed to create an earth barrier to keep the fireballs from making her catch on fire. The guardian noticed this earth barrier, and jumped into the earth wall, through solid rock. After catching a brown glow, the earth form of serpent appeared, it had deep brown with a green tint, had two large lashes over its eyes like a viper, it had a row of spikes running down its back, had a large rattle on the tip of its tail, and in its eyes burned the Earth Kingdom symbol.

"Oh boy," said Toph. The serpent roared and huge boulders flew out of wall, moving at ten times the top speed towards the heroes. Aang thought quickly and broke the boulders into.

"I think I know how to beat him," Sokka suddenly said.

"Boy would we like to hear it," Toph responded urgently.

"If this guardian takes powerful forms in the individual elemental walls, then if it had no elements to take the form of, we could weaken it," Sokka explained quickly.

"Leave the removing of the snake from the elements to me," Aang said narrowing his eyes. He jumped onto the serpent's back, and with all the force in the world, slammed down with his staff right onto its head. The serpent (unstable and shocked by the blow) collapsed to the ground, and Aang, the Avatar Spirit now glowing, earth bended the snake fully out of the earth.

The titanic serpent then turned pitch black, its eyes turned to classic, red snake eyes, the spikes and rattle disappeared, and a large hood spread out of the sides of its head. In response to the change the giant cobra arched backs head and spat a thin arc of red liquid.

"Look out," Zuko said, Katara grabbed Toph's hand and pulled her out of the way. The liquid hit the ground, sizzled, and the marble steps, seemed to wear away turning from a shiny black, to a grizzly brown covered with dust, like a thousand years had just passed.

"Poison," yelled Sokka.

"It looks like it speeds up time," Aang said," so don't let it touch you."

"No way," Zuko yelled sarcastically, he then inhaled and spewed a huge fireball out of his mouth towards the serpent, but harmlessly hit it, not even a single burn on its scales. The serpent arched back to spit, but instead it launched it at Aang, but before it could hit him, Katara jumped in the poison's path, and hit her instead. Her hair turned gray and her skin grew withered, as though she had just aged seventy years.

"Katara," yelled Sokka.

"Nooo," cried Aang, he then faced the giant snake, and his tattoos and eyes began to glow. He then arched back as to strike down the giant snake. Suddenly he heard a voice in his head, _You really are the Avatar_, it said. Aang almost immediately calmed down.

"Who are you?" he asked, before realizing the voice came from the snake.

_I am the Elemental Serpent and I am the guardian of this sanctuary and the Elemental Spheres_, the giant snake responded, _and I was the first Avatar's spirit animal_. That surprised Aang, he never expected that. _I am your servant_, the snake said bowing.

"Well we need you to heal our friend," Aang said," Do you have an antidote to the poison?"

_Throw her into the Wall of Water_, the serpent said,_ it is the only way to reverse the effects of my poison_. Without hesitation, Sokka pushed his sister into the water. Katara immediately changed, her hair turned normal and her skin was full again, she then swam out of the water.

"Thank you," Aang said with a bow," but now we need the Elemental Spheres."

_Why?_ The serpent asked.

"Because of the Shadow Empire," Zuko answered before Aang could speak up. The serpent slithered over to Zuko and looked at him closely. _Fire Lord Zuko_, it said slowly _I have heard of your father's crimes against the world_.

"But he helped me defeat him," Aang said quickly. _Very well then _the Elemental Serpent concluded reluctantly_ you may take the spheres if it involves stopping the Shadow Empire, but only on one condition, on the way from the temple, you must never look at them, if you do, I will attack, it is a precaution the Avatar made me take_.

"That won't be hard," Aang said optimistically," let's get going." He gathered up the orbs, giving one to Toph, one to Zuko, one to Katara, and one to himself. The gang then left the room, the snake watching them closely. The walked out of the main hall, into the first room, and into the tunnel.

"Remember do not look at it," Aang warned. The continued to walk, until Sokka tripped, knocking over Toph, who almost dropped the orb, and Sokka looked at it. A terrifying scream rang out throughout the entire temple and it began to shake.

"The snake's coming," Zuko cried," pick up the pace." They did, they ran and ran, but judging by the vibrations and the hisses, the snake was getting close. The entrance began to loom ahead, and the team burst into broad daylight. The team climbed on Appa, still holding the spheres. The serpent burst out of the ground facing them. _Use the orbs if you must, but heed this warning: Everything has a side effect_ it roared, before retracting back into the ground.

"He was trained to guard the temple, he won't leave it," Katara said.

"We got the orbs and that's the important thing," Aang said reassuringly. Back in the North Pole, Ty Lee was getting worried, Iroh approached her.

"I know what you must think," she said randomly," I'm weak for expressing concern so much." Iroh just smiled in response.

"That was not even close to what I was thinking," he said," I was thinking that you are not weak, but strong for expressing your love for that man, and if you ask me love is one of the strongest aspects of life ever." Ty Lee smiled.

"I know, but I'm just so worried," she sighed. Iroh looked into the distance and grinned.

"You do not need to worry anymore," he stated, Ty Lee followed his gaze and saw Appa landing. Without even saying anything she ran down towards the stables to meet her husband. Sokka slowly walked into the courtyard only to almost hug to death by his wife.

"You're back," she cried.

"Of course," Sokka said," now lets go continue planning the trip." He then took Ty Lee's hand and led her to their house.

Aang looked down at the Elemental Spheres.

"We did it," Katara said walking over to Aang.

"Yeah, but what about that warning," he said slowly, remembering the warning the Elemental Serpent said.

_Everything has a side a effect_.


End file.
